Provision Language
6. ROYALTIES AND REIMBURSEMENT
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6.9 With regard to unreimbursed expenses associated with the preparation, filing, prosecution, and maintenance of all patent applications and patents included within the Licensed Patent Rights and paid by the IC prior to the effective date of this Agreement, the Licensee shall pay the IC, as an additional royalty, within sixty (60) days of the IC’s submission of a statement and request for payment to the Licensee, an amount equivalent to the unreimbursed patent expenses previously paid by the IC.
6.10 With regard to unreimbursed expenses associated with the preparation, filing, prosecution, and maintenance of all patent applications and patents included within the Licensed Patent Rights and paid by the IC on or after the effective date of this Agreement, the IC, at its sole option, may require the Licensee:
(a) to pay the IC on an annual basis, within sixty (60) days of the IC’s submission of a statement and request for payment, a royalty amount equivalent to these unreimbursed expenses paid during the previous calendar year(s);
(b) to pay these unreimbursed expenses directly to the law firm employed by the IC to handle these functions. However, in this event, the IC and not the Licensee shall be the client of the law firm; or
(c) under exceptional circumstances, the Licensee may be given the right to assume responsibility for the preparation, filing, prosecution, or maintenance of any patent application or patent included with the Licensed Patent Rights. In that event, the Licensee shall directly pay the attorneys or agents engaged to prepare, file, prosecute, or maintain these patent applications or patents and shall provide the IC with copies of each invoice associated with these services as well as documentation that these invoices have been paid.
6.11 The IC agrees, upon written request, to provide the Licensee with summaries of patent prosecution invoices for which the IC has requested payment from the Licensee under Paragraphs 6.9 and 6.10. The Licensee agrees that all information provided by the IC related to patent prosecution costs shall be treated as confidential commercial information and shall not be released to a third party except as required by law or a court of competent jurisdiction.
6.11 The Licensee may elect to surrender its rights in any country of the Licensed Territory under any of the Licensed Patent Rights upon sixty (60) days written notice to the IC and owe no payment obligation under Paragraph 6.10 for patent-related expenses paid in that country after the effective date of the written notice.
7. PATENT FILING, PROSECUTION, AND MAINTENANCE
7.1 Except as otherwise provided in this Article 7, the IC agrees to take responsibility for, but to consult with, the Licensee in the preparation, filing, prosecution, and maintenance of any and all patent applications or patents included in the Licensed Patent Rights and shall furnish copies of relevant patent-related documents to the Licensee.
7.2 Upon the IC’s written request, the Licensee shall assume the responsibility for the preparation, filing, prosecution, and maintenance of any and all patent applications or patents included in the Licensed Patent Rights and shall, on an ongoing basis, promptly furnish copies of all patent-related documents to the IC. In this event, the Licensee shall, subject to the prior approval of the IC, select registered patent attorneys or patent agents to provide these services on behalf of the Licensee and the IC. The IC shall provide appropriate powers of attorney and other documents necessary to undertake this action to the patent attorneys or patent agents providing these services. The Licensee and its attorneys or agents shall consult with the IC in all aspects of the preparation, filing, prosecution and maintenance of patent applications and patents included within the Licensed Patent Rights and shall provide the IC sufficient opportunity to comment on any document that the Licensee intends to file or to cause to be filed with the relevant intellectual property or patent office.
7.3 At any time, the IC may provide the Licensee with written notice that the IC wishes to assume control of the preparation, filing, prosecution, and maintenance of any and all patent applications or patents included in the Licensed Patent Rights. If the IC elects to reassume these responsibilities, the Licensee agrees to cooperate fully with the IC, its attorneys, and agents in the preparation, filing, prosecution, and maintenance of any and all patent applications or patents included in the Licensed Patent Rights and to provide the IC with complete copies of any and all documents or other materials that the IC deems necessary to undertake such responsibilities. The Licensee shall be responsible for all costs associated with transferring patent prosecution responsibilities to an attorney or agent of the IC’s choice.
7.4 Each party shall promptly inform the other as to all matters that come to its attention that may affect the preparation, filing, prosecution, or maintenance of the Licensed Patent Rights and permit each other to provide comments and suggestions with respect to the preparation, filing, prosecution, and maintenance of the Licensed Patent Rights, which comments and suggestions shall be considered by the other party.
11. INFRINGEMENT AND PATENT ENFORCEMENT
11.1 The IC and the Licensee agree to notify each other promptly of each infringement or possible infringement of the Licensed Patent Rights, as well as, any facts which may affect the validity, scope, or enforceability of the Licensed Patent Rights of which either party becomes aware.
11.2 Pursuant to this Agreement and the provisions of 35 U.S.C. Chapter 29, the Licensee may:
(a) bring suit in its own name, at its own expense, and on its own behalf for infringement of presumably valid claims in the Licensed Patent Rights;
(b) in any suit, enjoin infringement and collect for its use, damages, profits, and awards of whatever nature recoverable for the infringement; or
(c) settle any claim or suit for infringement of the Licensed Patent Rights provided, however, that the IC and appropriate Government authorities shall have the first right to take such actions; and
(d) if the Licensee desires to initiate a suit for patent infringement, the Licensee shall notify the IC in writing. If the IC does not notify the Licensee of its intent to pursue legal action within ninety (90) days, the Licensee shall be free to initiate suit. The IC shall have a continuing right to intervene in the suit. The Licensee shall take no action to compel the Government either to initiate or to join in any suit for patent infringement. The Licensee may request the Government to initiate or join in any suit if necessary to avoid dismissal of the suit. Should the Government be made a party to any suit, the Licensee shall reimburse the Government for any costs, expenses, or fees which the Government incurs as a result of the motion or other action, including all costs incurred by the Government in opposing the motion or other action. In all cases, the Licensee agrees to keep the IC reasonably apprised of the status and progress of any litigation. Before the Licensee commences an infringement action, the Licensee shall notify the IC and give careful consideration to the views of the IC and to any potential effects of the litigation on the public health in deciding whether to bring suit.
11.3 In the event that a declaratory judgment action alleging invalidity or non-infringement of any of the Licensed Patent Rights shall be brought against the Licensee or raised by way of counterclaim or affirmative defense in an infringement suit brought by the Licensee under Paragraph 11.2, pursuant to this Agreement and the provisions of 35 U.S.C. Chapter 29 or other statutes, the Licensee may:
(a) defend the suit in its own name, at its own expense, and on its own behalf for presumably valid claims in the Licensed Patent Rights;
(b) in any suit, ultimately to enjoin infringement and to collect for its use, damages, profits, and awards of whatever nature recoverable for the infringement; and
(c) settle any claim or suit for declaratory judgment involving the Licensed Patent Rights-provided, however, that the IC and appropriate Government authorities shall have the first right to take these actions and shall have a continuing right to intervene in the suit; and
(d) if the IC does not notify the Licensee of its intent to respond to the legal action within a reasonable time, the Licensee shall be free to do so. The Licensee shall take no action to compel the Government either to initiate or to join in any declaratory judgment action. The Licensee may request the Government to initiate or to join any suit if necessary to avoid dismissal of the suit. Should the Government be made a party to any suit by motion or any other action of the Licensee, the Licensee shall reimburse the Government for any costs, expenses, or fees, which the Government incurs as a result of the motion or other action. If the Licensee elects not to defend against the declaratory judgment action, the IC, at its option, may do so at its own expense. In all cases, the Licensee agrees to keep the IC reasonably apprised of the status and progress of any litigation. Before the Licensee commences an infringement action, the Licensee shall notify the IC and give careful consideration to the views of the IC and to any potential effects of the litigation on the public health in deciding whether to bring suit.
11.4 In any action under Paragraphs 11.2 or 11.3 the expenses including costs, fees, attorney fees, and disbursements, shall be paid by the Licensee. The value of any recovery made by the Licensee through court judgment or settlement shall be treated as Net Sales and subject to earned royalties.
11.5 The IC shall cooperate fully with the Licensee in connection with any action under Paragraphs 11.2 or 11.3. The IC agrees promptly to provide access to all necessary documents and to render reasonable assistance in response to a request by the Licensee.